Ryan Lochte is once again the subject of considerable media attention.
REUTERS/Michael Dalder
Lochte recently participated in an interview with ESPN The Magazine published on Tuesday in which he suggests that he contemplated suicide in the wake of his Rio Olympics scandal. After multiple media reports highlighted that particular passage (seen below), the American swimmer felt the need to set the record straight.
“After Rio, I was probably the most hated person in the world,” Lochte said in the interview. “There were a couple of points where I was crying, thinking, ‘If I go to bed and never wake up, fine.'” Asked if that means he considered suicide, Lochte nods slowly. “I was about to hang up my entire life.”
That single passage led to many media outlets reporting that Lochte contemplated suicide, and by the way it was written you can clearly see why. But the six-time gold medalist spoke to TMZ Sports to clear the water.
“To be clear, yes I was in a very dark place after Rio, but I never though about taking my own life,” Lochte said. “That’s the media twisting what I told ESPN. I would never do that. That’s not me.” (RELATED: Ryan Lochte Considered Suicide After Rio Olympics Scandal)
“I’m a fighter, always have been and always will be. I knew that I would do whatever necessary to get through that horrible time, and most importantly to once again earn the trust of my friends, family, and the public, who have always been so supportive of me.”